


The Second Son

by Trixie_Baggins



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 11:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5203733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trixie_Baggins/pseuds/Trixie_Baggins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘Say hello to your little brother, Legolas,’ Thranduil said, bending down with his younger son. ‘He’s got your mother’s eyes</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Second Son

‘Say hello to your little brother, Legolas,’ Thranduil said, bending down with his younger son. ‘He’s got your mother’s eyes.’

‘Hi,’ Legolas said, maybe just a tiny bit shyly.

‘Sire,’ his Captain came running in. ‘We’re under attack.’

Thranduil indicated for a nursemaid to come over and take his two children somewhere safe, then straightened up. ‘Ready the army.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Thranduil walked with purpose to his chambers where a servant was already ready to help him put on his armor. He had just finished when his wife walked in, face set determinedly.

‘I’m coming with you.’

‘Darling, you know that I love you, but I really think it would be better if you stayed here.’

‘Thranduil, you know I love you too much to leave your side.’

‘If you won’t stay for my sake, then stay for the sake of our children?’

‘Thranduil, our children will be fine. They don’t need me right now, you do. Please.’

‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

He took her hand, and she took his and the two repeated the vows they made on their wedding day. ‘ _Through life or death, in war or peace, I’ll love you forever, for with you am I complete. In joy or sorrow, in sunshine or rain, be it today or tomorrow, we shall meet again._ ’

  
************************

  
The two elves stood at the head of the army of Mirkwood. He looked at her, and she looked at him, their eyes filled with so much love and affection. ‘I love you,’ he whispered to her.

‘And I love you.’

Little did they know, those would be the last words they ever spoke to each other.

  
************************

  
The battle was over, but it had been far from victorious. Many elves were dead, including the Queen. Thranduil was beyond himself with grief. His wife, the love of his life, everything that was good in his world was gone. The Elves and Dwarves had made a treaty, and the latter were supposed to assist the former, but no aid ever came. It was from that day on that Thranduil hated all Dwarves and when they needed help, he would give them none.

A nursemaid came, bringing his two sons. Legolas he greet with the same affection he always did, but when he looked at his younger son, with his eyes so much like his mother’s, he could not. Legolas’ younger brother would be sent away to grow up somewhere else, keeping Thranduil’s memories far from him.

Over time, Legolas began to forget that he even had a brother, and he started to lose pieces of his mother too. All he could remember were her eyes, blue as the Anduin, but bright like the Northern star. So intense and so beautiful. The eyes that looked on him with nothing but love and affection, but could turn hard and cold when she was fighting. He remembers that when he looked in her eyes, he felt safe. Like he’d been traveling for a really long time and only now had come home.

  
************************

Legolas could still remember the Dwarven company that passed through Mirkwood. The Dwarves and the one Halfling. He remembers the absolute loathing that his father looked on the Dwarves with, and wondered about it. He remembers the absolute loathing that Thorin looked at his father with, and wondered about it. Once, when he was walking past the throne room, he heard the shouting.

‘I should’ve known. The great elf king is too haughty to help the lowly Dwarves! You are pitiful. You put your wealth and pride above your loyalty and innocent people died.’

‘How dare you speak to me like that? I would’ve come to your aid had you but upheld your end of the bargain. We fought, we protected Middle Earth by the blood of our people and the Dwarves remained locked away in their mountain! My people lost their fathers, brothers, husbands and sons. I lost my wife.’ The last part was so silent Legolas could barely hear it with his heightened senses, and he wondered if Thorin could, or even if his father had meant to say it.

So that was what had happened to his mother. Legolas had always wondered why his father never talked about. Why his father hated Dwarves with the fervor that he did. The more he thought about it, the more Legolas remembered an elf, just a baby, with his mother’s kind, fierce eyes. Maybe it was just a trick of his imagination, surely his father would’ve told him if he had a brother.

  
************************

  
Legolas remembered the Secret Counsel. Gimli, and his father Gloin, who had been in Thorin’s company. And he remembered the Halfling, Frodo, Bilbo’s nephew, who was so much like Bilbo it was frightening. When Gimli accused his father, Legolas felt the need to defend him. Yes, Thranduil hadn’t made the best decisions, but at the same time, he was grieving. He had lost his wife, the love of his life, his One. People are resilient. They can move on from a lot, but few ever come back from the loss of their One.

And he remembers the representative sent by Lothlorien. He remembers eyes, as blue as the Anduin that glittered like the Northern star. He remembers being hypnotized by those eyes, and being drawn in. He remembers his mother holding him, laughing, gazing over him with those same eyes. But more than anything, he remembers looking in the eyes of the Lorien elf and feeling safe.

  
************************

 

Lord Elrond had called him Haldir, and Arwen had called him Uncle. Every time Legolas tried to talk to Lord Elrond about him, the elf always seemed engaged in other business. The Lord Haldir and Aragorn seemed to be on good terms, though Haldir left soon after the meeting.

As preparations for the trip ensued, Legolas found himself wondering more and more about the mysterious elf. He asked Lord Elrond who he was, and why he had not seen him before, and the Rivendell leader said that that was the Lord Haldir, of Lorien. Haldir had been found in Lothlorien when he was nothing but an infant, abandoned by his own parents. He possessed nothing except the clothes on his back, and a small white gem clenched in his fist. The Lady Galadriel and the Lord Celeborn had taken pity on the child and adopted him as their own.

  
************************

Legolas remembers the day they arrived in Lothlorien. He remembers the blond elf with the blue eyes that greeted him. And he remembers Galadriel probing his mind, learning his secrets, finding out his desires. He remembers the ring that Haldir had, obviously Lorien make, but the gem was white, and glittered like it was made of pure starlight. He remembers gems like that. He remembers the way they shone around his mother’s neck when he and his father pushed the boat into the River’s current.

‘Legolas.’ The voice was calm, quiet, and inside his head, but he wok immediately.

‘Yes, my lady?’

‘Come.’

He turned to see the Lady Galadriel standing on top of the stair, and he rose to follow her. With the soundless tread achieved only by an elf, he crossed where the others were sleeping. ‘My Lady,’ he said respectfully bowing his head when he reached her.

‘Legolas.’

She turned to leave, and he followed her. The two walked silently for a good while until she entered a small, inconsequential room. She opened the door and gestured Legolas inside. There was a blond elf standing by the window and at first he thought it was Lord Celeborn, until he turned, and Legolas saw the blue, glittering eyes and the starlight ring on his finger.

‘Legolas, Haldir, meet your brother,’ Galadriel said.

  
************************

Legolas remembers the Battle of Helm’s Deep. He remembers the fear that coursed through the veins of all the soldiers, and the feeling of desperation. But more than anything, he remembers when Haldir showed up with his battalion of Elven archers. He remembers how he felt when he realized this would be the first time that he fought side by side with his brother in combat. Not just a brother in arms, but his true brother.

Legolas remembers how it felt like his heart was being torn in two. How he wanted, how he _needed_ to go avenge his brother. The brother he never knew he had. The brother that he had fought next to for the very first time. The brother he had fought next to for the very last time.

 

 

_[fin]_


End file.
